California Statute of Limitations on Sexual Abuse Legal Topics > Criminal Law and Police > Personal Crimes > Sexual Abuse - Criminal Locate a Local Criminal Lawyer What Are the California Statutes of Limitations on Sexual Abuse Crimes? California does technically have statutes of limitations (SOL) on some of its sexual abuse crimes that require lawsuits to be brought within a certain time period. However, there are huge loopholes that usually allow most anyone to bring up a sexual abuse lawsuit even after the statute of limitations has expired. But It is important to remember that the statute of limitations that applies is the one that was in place at the time of the crime itself. So while the statute of limitations may have been lengthened in the time since, if the limitation ran out, it can NOT be reactivated. Example: A man commits an act of molestation in 1965, when there was a 3 year SOL on the crime. In 197o, the legislature removes the SOL from child molestation. The man can not still be prosecuted, because the SOL had expired before the law was changed. If the law had been changed in 1968, however, he could be prosecuted. If you are the victim of abuse, the first thing you must decide is whether you are pursuing something criminally or civilly, as the statute of limitation is usually different between the two of them. Civil Lawsuits for Sexual Abuse In California, the filing of a civil claim of sexual abuse must be made within 8 years of the age of majority (meaning before your 26th birthday). However, California is one of 28 states that have adopted an extension of the statute of limitations based on the "discovery" of child sexual abuse or its effects. While nearly every state has a basic suspension of the statute of limitations while someone is a minor, many states have recently adopted these new "discovery" extensions specifically designed for cases of sexual child abuse. The discovery rule allows for civil lawsuits to go forward w